Film/foil dispenser and container for a film/foil dispenser

ABSTRACT

A film/foil dispenser that includes a container ( 1 ) in which a rolled-up film/foil tape ( 7 ) is stored. A support element is disposed on the container ( 1 ) between a retrieval opening and a separating device for severing a portion of the film/foil tape ( 7 ) so as to be movable such that the projecting height (H) of the support element in relation to a contact face ( 31 ) is increased by way of the influence of force of an entrainment member ( 37 ) on a movable actuation element of the container ( 1 ). Due to this, the spacing between an end portion of the film/foil tape ( 7 ) and the contact face ( 31 ) is increased such that said end portion is more readily grippable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The following documents are incorporated herein by reference as if fullyset forth: Swiss Patent Application No. 01601/15, filed Nov. 4, 2015.

BACKGROUND

The Invention is directed to a film/foil dispenser and a container for afilm/foil dispenser, and a method for exposing the tape end of afilm/foil in a film/foil dispenser.

It is known for film/foil tapes such as, for example, fresh-wrapfilms/foils to be rolled up to film/foil rolls and to be stored inpackaging or containers, respectively, that simultaneously may be usedas a dispenser for pulling out and severing film/foil portions. Suchdispensers as widely used comprise folded boxes formed of cardboard orcorrugated board. After an initial use protection feature has beenremoved, the outer end portion of the rolled-up film/foil tape is guidedthrough a retrieval opening of the container. In order for a film/foilportion to be provided, the end portion is gripped, pulled out of thecontainer up to the desired length, and is subsequently severed. Forsevering, the container typically comprises a separating device such as,for example, a serrated tear edge or a cutting blade that isdisplaceable along a guide in the longitudinal direction of thecontainer. The separating device is typically disposed on the containersuch that the former at least when severing the pulled-out film/foilportion lies so as to be spaced apart from the retrieval opening. Thiscauses the new end portion of the film/foil to protrude somewhat fromthe retrieval opening, once a film/foil portion has been severed. Inthis way, the end portion is prevented from being drawn back into theinterior of the container again. When the film/foil dispenser is beingused next, an exposed portion may be more readily gripped again.Depending on the configuration of the container, the retrieval openingmay be an open access side of the container that is coverable by a flaplid, for example. Alternatively, the retrieval opening may also beconfigured as an elongate clearance on one of the container walls.

The separating device may be disposed on an edge of the flap lid, or onone of the container walls, for example. Alternatively, the separatingdevice may also be disposed on another location on the container shell,for example between two longitudinal edges on the exterior of a sidewall of the container.

In particular in the case of plastics films, adhesion forces may causethe film to adhere to the external side of the container. The adhesiveproperties depend on the respective film and on the surface finish ofthe container. This surface finish may have localized dissimilarities.In this way, the container surface may entirely or in regions be coveredwith a smooth lacquer layer, for example. In particular, thin filmsbased on polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), orpolyvinyl chloride (PVC) adhere strongly to such surfaces. As analternative to lacquer or paint layers, the surface of the container mayalso comprise regions having a glue to which a film/foil may releasablyadhere. In this way, for example end portions of films/foils, such asaluminum foils, for example, may also be releasably held on the housing,in the case of which only very minor or no attractive forces would actbetween the container surface and the film/foil.

The attractive force, or adhesive force, respectively, is desirable onthe one hand, since the end portion of the film/foil is prevented frombeing drawn into the interior of the container. Also, the film/foilduring cutting using a cutting blade is held on the container such thatthe former is not entrained by the cutting blade during cutting.

On the other hand, this attractive force has the effect that the endportion of the film/foil cannot be readily gripped by the fingers when aportion of the film/foil is to be pulled off the roll.

A film/foil dispenser having a folded box is known from WO 2015/035526A1, wherein this folded box on the front wall has a guide gap for acutting blade, and wherein an adhesive zone to which the end portion ofthe film/foil releasably adheres is configured on either side of thisguide gap. A support tongue which prevents an end portion of thefilm/foil that protrudes from the retrieval opening from bearing on thefront wall of the folded box in the region of this support tongue andadhering thereto protrudes in the region of the upper edge of this frontwall. Additionally, the region between the support tongue and the guidegap is configured as a non-adhesive zone. Moreover, the support tonguehas the effect that the end portion of the film/foil bears thereon andthus may be more readily grippable.

The support tongue is configured as a portion that is separated from thecontiguous part of the front wall along a semi-circular perforation.This portion in the non-stressed rest position thereof protrudesobliquely forward on the front wall. The support tongue is configured soas to be at least approximately an elastically resilient part of thefolded box. Should a force act on the support force from the front, thelatter is pivoted toward the front wall, counter to the elastic springforce. Should the externally acting compressive force be reduced, thesupport tongue, driven by the elastic spring force, is again pivotedtowards the outside.

The restoring force of the support tongue depends on the material thatis used for the folded box. Since cardboard or cardboard-like materialsare typically used in the production of folded boxes, the restoringforce that is available from the support tongue is comparatively minor.As the number of pivoting cycles increases, the restoring force isadditionally reduced as a result of material fatigue.

Covering of the support tongue by a front tab of the flap lid leads tothe support tongue being pushed inward toward the front wall in the caseof a closed flap lid. This leads to the deflection angle of the supporttongue also being decreased in the rest position in the absence of anyexternal force acting on the support tongue. The support tongue also inthe case of an opened flap lid thus is no longer able to push the endportion of the film/foil that bears thereon sufficiently far toward theoutside, this complicating the gripping of this end portion. Adhesivezones which hold the film/foil to the external wall of the folded boxand, on account thereof, also exert a compressive force on the supporttongue have an analogous effect.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to achieve a film/foildispenser and a container for a film/foil dispenser, which enable readygripping of the end portion of the film/foil in order for a film/foilportion to be pulled out.

This object is achieved by a film/foil dispenser, by a container for afilm/foil dispenser, and by a method for providing a grippable endportion of a film/foil, according to one or more features of inventionas discussed below and in the claims.

A film/foil dispenser according to the invention comprises a containerin which a rolled-up film/foil tape is stored. The container ispreferably a folded box which is cost-effectively producible. An endportion of the film/foil tape is guided through a retrieval opening tothe outside. This retrieval opening, in particular in the case of afolded box, may be the intermediate space between a flap lid and thehousing body on which the flap lid is pivotably articulated.Spaced-apart from the retrieval opening, the container comprises aseparating device, for example a serrated separating edge, or a cuttingblade that is mounted so as to be displaceable along a guide device.Between the retrieval opening and the separating device, the containercomprises a contact face on which a pulled-out film/foil portion bearswhen the latter is severed from the remaining film/foil reserve by useof the separating device. A support element is movably disposed in theregion of this contact face such that the projecting height of saidsupport element that projects beyond the contact face is variable. Thisprojecting height acts as a spacer which in this region keeps the endportion of the film/foil spaced apart from the contact face. Thisspacing corresponds to the respective projecting height of the supportelement and has the purpose of making the film/foil more readilygrippable at this location, in order for a film/foil portion to bepulled off from the film/foil roll.

According to the invention, the container comprises an actuation elementby way of which a deflection force may be exerted on the support elementso as to move the latter to a position having a larger projectingheight. This is particularly advantageous when the elastic deflectionforce of the support element weakens or is too minor to keep thefilm/foil end portion at a sufficient spacing from the contact face. Theprojecting height may also be reduced by other effects such as, forexample, the bearing force by way of which the film/foil and/or part ofa flap lid pushes the support element in the direction of the contactface.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the container isconfigured as a folded box, wherein the support element is a supporttongue which forwardly protrudes on the contact face, and wherein theactuation element comprises a clearance, corresponding with this supporttongue, on a flap lid, and/or an offset that inwardly protrudes on thisflap lid. In order for a film/foil portion to be pulled out of such acontainer, the flap lid is opened first. Since the support tongue andthe lower edge of the clearance are engaged by mutual undercuts, thesupport tongue hooks onto this lower edge and is entrained when the flaplid is opened and is upwardly or outwardly pivoted, respectively. Thisapplies in an analogous manner to actuation elements in the shape ofoffsets which inwardly protrude on a front tab of the flap lid.

Apart from folded boxes which are preferably made from cardboard orcorrugated cardboard, the invention also comprises dispensers and/orcontainers which are made from other materials such as, for example,from plastics or from metal or from a composite material.

Alternatively, the container could also comprise two or a plurality ofsupport elements which are disposed so as to be distributed across thelength of the contact face, wherein each of these support elements isprovided with a corresponding actuation element. Support elementspreferably have the shape of semi-circular support tongues, but may alsohave other shapes. In particular in the case of alternative embodiments,one or a plurality of support elements could also extend acrosscomparatively long portions or across the entire length of the contactface.

The same applies in a corresponding manner to the associated actuationelements. Alternatively, one common actuation element, for example inthe shape of a front tab that extends across the entire length of afolded box and comprises an inwardly folded-over lower edge, for aplurality of support elements could also be disposed on the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail hereunder by means ofsome figures in which:

FIG. 1 shows a film/foil dispenser having an opened container and afilm/foil roll stored therein; and

FIG. 2 shows a punched blank of the container of the film/foil dispenserof FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a film/foil dispenser which comprises an elongate container1 in which a film/foil roll 3 having a film/foil tape 7 of plastic thatis rolled up on a cylindrical core 5 is stored. The container 1,preferably as a cuboid folded box, is made of cardboard or corrugatedcardboard, for example of cardboard having a wall thickness betweenapprox. 0.5 mm and 1 mm. This container 1 comprises a box body having afront wall 9, a base 11, a rear wall 13, and two approximately cuboidend walls 15 a, 15 b, of which the edge lengths are between 35 mm and 70mm, for example. The external length L1 of the box body is in the rangefrom 20 cm to 52 cm, for example.

Bearing points 17 a, 17 b for rotatably mounting the core 5 are disposedon the internal sides of the end walls 15 a, 15 b. A flap lid 19 ispivotably articulated on the upper edge of the rear wall 13, wherein therear longitudinal edge of a cover face 21 of the flap lid 19 iscontiguous to the rear wall 13. This flap lid 19 in the case of the viewonto the film/foil dispenser as illustrated in FIG. 1 is opened suchthat the interior is visible.

The flap lid 19, so as to be contiguous to the front longitudinal edgeof the cover face 21, comprises a front tab 23 which in the case of theembodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 extends across the entire length ofthe container 1 and in the case of a closed container 1 covers an upperportion of the front wall 9. The folded box in the original statepreferably comprises an initial use protection feature. The latter maybe configured as a strip 23 a of the front tab 23 that is detachablealong a perforation line P and that at the lower side is also connectedin an analogous manner to the box body. In the case of the illustrationof the folded box in FIG. 1, this strip is not visible as the latter hasalready been detached. The lower edge 25 of the front tab 23 thatremains and is visible after the strip 23 a has been detachedcorresponds to the perforation line P.

FIG. 2 shows a punched blank of the folded box of FIG. 1, in which thestrip 23 a has not yet been detached from the front tab 23. The punchededges are illustrated as thick lines, whereas fold lines are illustratedas comparatively thin lines. Interrupted thick lines are perforationlines P for separating mutually contiguous regions of the folded box. Afront internal wall 10 adjoins the upper edge 9 a of the front wall 9.Said front internal wall by means of a fold F, preferably by means oftwo folds F that are configured so as to be mutually spaced apart by aminor spacing of 2 mm to 5 mm, for example, is articulated so as to becapable of being turned back on the front wall 9. The front internalwall 10 is folded over into the interior of the box body.

Close to the lower edge 25 the front tab 23 comprises a punched-outclearance 27 in the shape of a gap opening which extends in thelongitudinal direction of the folded box. A support tongue 29 protrudeson the front wall 9 in the region of the upper edge 9 a, approximatelyin the center of the box body. In the case of the embodiment of thefolded box as illustrated in FIG. 1, the support tongue 29 is a portionof the front wall 9 that is punched along a semi-circular line and thatis articulated on the upper edge 9 a on the box body and that has beenpivoted to the front. In the absence of any additional external forcethat acts on the support tongue 29, the support tongue remains in a restposition in which said support tongue on the front wall 9 protrudes tothe front, or encloses a pivot angle of greater than 0° in relation tothe latter. Elastic material properties and that region of the foldedbox that, contiguous to the upper edge 9 a of the front wall 9, is bentbackward contribute toward the support tongue 29 in the non-stressedrest position protruding to the front on the front wall 9. The supporttongue 29, and/or the connection thereof to that portion of thecontainer 1 that is contiguous to the former, preferably has anelasticity or at least a residual elasticity which in the case of thesupport tongue 29 being deflected from the rest position thereof causesa reversing force, or a reversing torque, respectively, in the directionof the rest position. This has the result of the support tongue 29, inthe absence of external forces, assuming a rest position in which saidsupport tongue 29 protrudes by a minimum projecting height H on acontact face 31 of the front wall 9. The contact face 31 is that regionof the container 1 on which a film/foil portion bears when the latter,after having been pulled out through a retrieval opening of thecontainer 1, is severed from the film/foil reserve by means of aseparating device of the film/foil dispenser. In the case of a film/foildispenser as is illustrated in FIG. 1, the retrieval opening is theintermediate space between the flap lid 19 and the front wall 9 of thefolded box. The separating device comprises a guide gap 33 and a cuttingblade 35 that is displaceable along this guide gap 33. The guide gap 33,at approximately mid-height of the box body, extends across a region ofthe front wall 9 that is somewhat shorter than the entire length L1 ofthe latter.

The clearance 27 is disposed and aligned on the front tab 23 such thatthe support tongue 29 in the case of a closed flap lid 19 protrudes intothis clearance 27 in such a manner that the lower edge of the clearance27 and the edge of the support tongue 29 engage by mutual undercuts.This should apply at least when the front tab 23 bears directly on thecontact face 31 or on an end portion of the film/foil tape 7 that bearson the contact face 31. Thus, the lower edge of the clearance 27 is astop or an entrainment member 37, respectively, that entrains thesupport tongue 29 in the case of the flap lid 19 being opened, andpivots said support tongue 29 outward and/or upward. On account thereof,the projecting height H of the support tongue is increased. Thefilm/foil tape 7 in the region of the front terminal edge thereof at thesupport tongue 29 is pulled away from the contact face 31 and may bereadily gripped there.

The support tongue 29 that is configured so as to be pivotable on thecontainer 1 is a special embodiment of a support element that isconfigured so as to be movable on the container 1. In the case ofalternative embodiments, this support element may also comprise anelement (not shown) that is displaceably mounted on the container,and/or an elastically deformable element such as a coil spring or afoam-material part, for example. That surface of the support elementthat comes into contact with the film/foil is preferably configured suchthat the former does not damage the film/foil. When the support elementand/or the contact face 31 in the region of the support element isconfigured such that the film/foil adheres thereon to a lesser degreethan to other regions of the contact face 31, the film/foil tape 7 canbe more readily gripped there. This may be achieved, for example, inthat the contact face 31 comprises regions that are covered with alacquer layer or an adhesive layer, except however that region havingthe support tongue 29. If and when the support tongue 29 does not adhereto the film/foil well, the former may pivot back to the rest positionthereof in an almost unimpeded manner when the flap lid 19 is openedfurther and the support tongue 29 is no longer held back by the loweredge of the clearance 27.

The lower edge of the clearance 29 is generally an actuation elementwhich is disposed so as to be movable in a guided manner on thecontainer 1, and is operatively connected to the support element. Theactuation element generally comprises an entrainment member 27 which isconfigured and disposed such that the latter, in the case of theactuation element being moved in an effective direction, acts on thesupport element, or exerts a force in the effective direction on thesupport element, respectively, such that the projecting height H of thelatter in relation to the contact face 31 is increased.

In the case of the embodiment of the film/foil dispenser illustrated inFIG. 1, the actuation element is the flap lid 19 per se, wherein thelower edge of the clearance 27 is the entrainment member 37, or acts assuch, respectively. Alternatively or additionally to the lower edge of aclearance 27, the actuation element or the entrainment member 37,respectively, may also comprise an offset that protrudes on the internalside of the front tab 23, for example, which offset in the case of aclosed flap lid 19 engages by undercut that periphery of the supporttongue 29 that projects on the contact face 31 (not illustrated). Inparticular, the clearance 27 on the front tab 23 may comprise twoincisions which are disposed so as to be T-shaped, or a correspondingpunching, for example, in the case of which the two exposed triangularportions as entrainment members are folded back or turned back,respectively (not illustrated). Alternatively, the front tab 23 in theregion of the lower edge 25 of the front tab 23 could comprise a stripthat in the cross section is V-shaped and is folded back, and that inthe case of a closed flap lid 19 engages by undercut the support tongue29 in a hook-type manner (not illustrated).

Depending on the embodiment of the container 1, the front tab 23 mayextend across the entire length L1 of the container 1, or alternativelymay extend only across a portion of the front tab 23 that correspondswith the support tongue 29. Instead of only one support tongue 29, thecontainer 1 may comprise a plurality of support elements that aredisposed so as to be distributed across the length of the container 1.This of course also applies to the corresponding entrainment members 37of the actuation element.

In the case of alternative embodiments of the film/foil dispenser, thecontainer 1 may also be configured in a different manner. In particular,the container 1 may also be embodied without a flap lid 19, and/orcomprise a separate retrieval opening for pulling out the film/foil tape7, for example an exit gap on the front wall 9, the rear wall 13, or thecover face 21. The separating device may also be configured in adifferent manner, and may comprise a tear-off edge having cutting teeth,for example, or a cutting device having a guide rail (not illustrated)that is fastenable to the folded box, and a cutting blade 35 that isdisplaceable along this guide rail. The separating device may also bedisposed in the region of a longitudinal edge of the container, forexample. In particular, the separating device may also be plug-fittedonto an upper edge of a box body (not illustrated).

1. A film/foil dispenser comprising a container (1) in which a film/foiltape (7), rolled up on a core (5) to form a film/foil roll (3), isstored, the container (1) comprises a retrieval opening for pulling outan end portion of the film/foil tape (7), and a separating device,spaced apart from said retrieval opening, for severing a pulled-out endportion of the film/foil tape (7), a support element protrudes on acontact face (31) of the container (1), which is disposed between theretrieval opening and the separating device, said support element ismovable such that a projecting height (H) thereof in relation to thecontact face (31) is variable, and an actuation element which is movablein relation to the support element, interacts with the support element,and includes an entrainment member (37) and is configured for exerting adeflection force on the support element that moves the support elementsuch that the projecting height (H) thereof in relation to the contactface (31) is increased.
 2. The container (1) for a film/foil dispenseras claimed in claim 1, wherein this container (1) is configured as afolded box having a flap lid (19), and the retrieval opening comprisesan intermediate space between the flap lid (19) and a front wall (9) ofthe folded box, the support element comprises a support tongue (29)which is articulated so as to be pivotable on the front wall (9), andthe entrainment member (37) of the actuation element is configured on afront tab (23) of the flap lid (19) that overlaps the support tongue(29) when the flap lid (19) is closed.
 3. The container (1) as claimedin claim 2, wherein the actuation element comprises a clearance (27) onthe front tab (23), and the entrainment member (37) for the supporttongue (29) comprises an edge portion of the front tab (23) thatdelimits the clearance (27).
 4. The container (1) as claimed in claim 3,wherein the entrainment member (37) comprises at least one offset thatprotrudes on an internal side of the front tab (23).
 5. The container(1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the offset that protrudes on theinternal side of the front tab (23) is a punched and folded-over lobe ofthe front tab (23).
 6. The container (1) as claimed in claim 2, whereinat least part of the contact face (31) is configured as an adhesive zonehaving an adhesive layer.
 7. The container (1) as claimed in claim 6,wherein at least one of the support tongue (29) or a region of thecontact face (31) that is contiguous to the support tongue (29) is notconfigured as an adhesive zone.
 8. The container (1) as claimed in claim2, wherein the support tongue (29) is configured to be elasticallyresilient and in a non-stressed rest position has a positive projectingheight (H) in relation to the contact face (31).
 9. A method forproviding a grippable end portion of a film/foil tape (7) in a film/foildispenser as claimed in claim 1, comprising: upon moving the actuationelement, bring the entrainment member (37) of the actuation element tobear on the support element to exert a deflection force on the supportelement, moving the support element by virtue of said deflection forcesuch that the projecting height (H) of said support element in relationto the contact face (31) is increased, resulting in a spacing of the endportion of the film/foil tape (7) in relation to the contact face (31)in the region of the support element also increasing such that thefilm/foil tape (7) is more readily grippable.